Impulse

TWENTY-TREE: THE VISIT

I came back to the parlor only to be confronted with a shocking image of the queen B and her family in the parlor, sitting on my couch, my 2 days old husband standing by the door, an old man sitting on the chair facing the dining area, Adilah, her twin sister and their mother also sat. the whole scenario resembled a warfare, one which was about to reach weapon deployment, that was something I didnt want to be a part of so I carefully tried to retrace my steps back to the kitchen before they saw me, in my attempt to turn back to the kitchen I made a slight noise causing everyone to turn and look at me. Caught in the act the room suddenly went quiet and all eyes were on me.

The intensity of their eyes, the anger. I have never seen such hatred geared towards me before. With little to no choice I came forward to greet them, primarily because of the elderly in the room "Assalamu alaikum" (peace be upon you) I said because it felt like the most appropriate thing to start with but nobody answered me, as I walk slowly making my way to the parlor. When they didn't reply Abdulmaleek replied me "Wa'alaikumussalam" my eyes briefly looked at him, he gave me a silent soft apology with his eyes. We just got married for Gods sake, cant they at least wait a while?!

Considering the circumstances of the wedding, I knew it was only a matter of time, his wife and her family did have a flare for dramatics, but still I thought it might take a while. The Queen B looked pale, her eyes puffy and red, nobody had to tell me she had been crying and I felt bad for her, I didnt want this but Abdulmaleek wasn't used to getting 'no' for an answer. He wanted me, so against all odds he got me. I don't know why that made me feel like another one of his conquests, he always did love challenges, most especially winning them.

"Ina yini" I greeted shifting my eyes from the old man to the elderly woman beside him in obvious embarrassment, I mean I was just caught trying to sneak back to the kitchen. Silence as they ridiculed me with their eyes, the man then looked at Abdulmaleek and said "ce mata ta bamu guri ko?" (Tell her to excuse us) it certainly wouldn't take a genius to understand what he meant, what his actions mean.. I was too inferior for him to address me directly. It felt like egg broke in my stomach and I was too frozen to attempt moving on my own, I stood cold on my tracks, couldn't fathom exactly why froze, why I couldn't move my feet on my own.

Abdulmaleek must have noticed because in less than 10 seconds he came for me and held my hand leading me to the room (My room). When we got to the room he sat me on the bed "I'm so sorry about all this, they'll be gone in a minute." His eyes more pleading than I had ever seen them, then he left me in the room and went back to his in laws.

Ya Allah what kind of life did I get myself into, the worst part is I can't snap my fingers and get out of it.
ABDULMALEEK

Them! Here! In our house, this wasn't fair to Tahira at all and I felt responsible for it. I was doing my best for the respect I have for my wife and her sister not to insult this old man but he was pushing my buttons.

The audacity he had was impeccable, he stole from us, fired me, and now he has the guts to instruct me to divorce my own wife. Tahira walked in just as his instructions hit my ears and she walked into the most heated situation I bet she had ever found herself.

I saw her try to sneak back out the living room but it was too late, they saw her. I couldn't get over how innocent she looked. This man still treated her the worst way possible and I had to take her back inside because she looked so embarrassed and frozen.

I came back ready, ready for the next insult. I had so much power and knew I wasn't going to let him play me.
"Saboda ka maida mu kananan mutane, sai ka turo mana yarinya gida sannan ka saake aure, kuskure daya kayi da baka aiko da takardar sakin ta ba, yanzu abunda zaka bamu kenan" (Because you think so little of us, you sent our daughter home and then remarried. The only mistake you made was not sending her back home with a divorce and that is exactly what we want from you) granddaddy continued.

"Toh ai ni ban fada maka ina son na saki matata ba, as for me sending her home, we had a misunderstanding like all couples do and I thought maybe being around her sister might help her." I calmly replied, I was still completely composed, I know who this man is and I am not afraid of him, in fact I needed him to understand that I was not in any way scared of him.

"Ka sake ta nace" (Divorce her I said) He shouted, so loud both Adilah and Lala quivered on their seat. I saw my wife whimpers sad sobs as she sort comfort in her sister. I felt bad for putting her in such unhappiness, regardless I was not going to let grandaddy win.

I could not fight the smirk that danced around the edges of my lips, it was cruel of me to derive pleasure from this but I could not help myself, I hated this man "No!!!" I simply stated after having my fill of the moment. I looked at Adilah and her pale face looked confused at first but then when she realized I just defied her grandfather's request, I saw relief wash over her face, It was like she expected me to give in but when I didn't she couldn't hide how she felt about it.

"please, get out of my house." I didn't fight the crease arc that formed around my brows as I said this, suddenly all the frustration I was fighting after I lost B.D farms came rushing. "Kasan ance idan tsoho baiji kunya hawa jaki ba, toh jaki kam ba zai fasa kada shi ba... (Hausa proverb meaning respect yourself) Adilah Is my wife, you want her divorced? You can take me to court."

He stood seething, his hand clung to his kaftan angrily and I was just getting my fill of satisfaction in the moment. "You dare address me such??? Toh idan ko bata yi iddan saki ba, zata yi na takaba" (certainly if she is not divorced then she will be widowed) He stormed out of the living room saying "ku wuce mu tafi" (let go)

For a moment there I understood the intensity of his threat, but then I wasn't bothered. Adilah's mother stood next "lets go" she told her girls, they both stood and walked out after their grandfather. And when it was just me and her, she said "I know you want revenge for what was done to you, but you are playing with fire."

"I will not divorce my wife, please forgive me for being so bold" My words were kinder to her because she was a woman and I don't disrespect women, especially not those old enough to give birth to the woman I am married to.

"Do you think I want my daughter divorced???" She asked with sudden curiosity, but then she turned around to follow the footsteps of her father and daughters.

***

Fahad was a freak but a good soldier, I knew men like him, the ones who execute without question "kill first, ask questions later" or not even ask questions at all. Something in my gut told me that he knew I was bluffing, but if he knew then why did he let me live. Everything about my attempted murder was confusing, I never knew the barrister would risk leaking evidence and send thugs to kill me, I never knew he had it in him to even order my execution. There was so much history between us, I must have underestimated his cruelty, I wont make that mistake again.

I slowly walked down the stairs of Zeenats house, I haven't slept for this long in a long time, it was something I clearly needed to stay sane and think straight. The lovely fragrance of turaren wuta (incense) hit my nostrils as I approach the parlor, her hide-out was beautiful, I admired her taste for the good and extravagant lifestyle , she was exactly me before I met Salahuddeen.

"See who finally decide to wake up, I hope you slept well?" she had this beautiful smile on her face, hard to believe she was the devil. "I hope you like chess?" she sat across from a man who looked in his twenties. He was a handsome looking dark man, seeing him involved with Zeenat made me feel bad for him.

Anything but chess no! I replied casually, I took a seat closer to the TV, she gave me a slight disappointing look, but still flashed me a bright smile "let me guess, you don't like to think" I looked from her to the man who was obviously her lover "I just don't like competitions"

"Last I heard you were quite the competition" there was a smug smile on her face, if anything I hated how she kept throwing my past to my face "I was the competition, not that I was competing.. big difference." I replied

They gave each other a look before they continued with their game, "there's food in the kitchen, help yourself"

It took a while but Zeenat won the game, almost at the same time I took a last bite of the food I got from the kitchen. "can we talk?"

"not now love I have and appointment I can't be late for, but Farouk here will help you with anything you need." In my mind I was thinking 'this woman is playing with me' she might be keeping me to be killed for all I know. "you're joking right?"